In recent years, laser processing has become more popular as equipment costs have decreased and a greater appreciation has been obtained of the benefits of coherent light sources. In particular, the material processing of different targets can be enhanced by using multiple beams split off of one or more incident input beams. In this way one or a few light sources can be used to simultaneously process multiple similar or identical features, offering the potential for dramatic increases in productivity and reduced cost. However, in the process of splitting a beam into multiple beams, various aberrations can cause error to be introduced into the image shape of the multiple beams.
It has been found herein that for very short pulse input beams, dispersion can be introduced causing spatial and temporal broadening which can distort the shape of the imaged beams at the processing target. Additionally, pincushion or other distortions can be introduced which can lead to undesirable shifts in the position of different ones of the multiple beams. Despite the persistence of various obstacles in the art of multi-beam laser processing, solutions allowing the successful construction of multi-beam laser processing systems have not been forthcoming. Accordingly, needs remain for improved systems.